Infidelio: Renowned atheist Richard Dawkins makes operatic debut
Biologist and author of ‘The God Delusion’ provides voiceover for ‘Mysterious 44,’ a musical version of Mark Twain’s novel
By Richard Lea, The Guardian
Friday, May 23, 2014 6:01 EDT
The lights dim, the organ strikes up, a ghostly voice rises towards the heavens as video images of brain scans and scientific calculations slowly swirl – the perfect cue for evolutionary biologist and professional atheist Richard Dawkins to make his operatic debut.
Fans of the secularist campaigner will be disappointed to learn that the author of The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion will not be appearing in costume at the premiere of the composer Kevin Malone’s new opera, Mysterious 44, featuring instead as a disembodied voice.
“It was 1490 – winter,” Dawkins intones. “Austria was far away from the world and asleep; it was still the Middle Ages in Austria and promised to remain so for ever. Some even set it away back centuries upon centuries and said that by the mental and spiritual clock it was still the Age of Belief.”
Dawkins is an experienced lecturer, debater and public speaker, but has not appeared in a theatrical production since taking a leading role in Cecil Cook’s comic operetta The Willow Pattern at the age of 13. On hearing of Malone’s project, he said he was “a bit mystified, but intrigued”. It was clear from the start he would not be taking a singing role, he continued – “I know my limitations” – but as an experienced reader of his own writings was confident in his abilities. “I do quite a lot of reading aloud.”
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/23/infidelio-renown-atheist-richard-dawkins-makes-operatic-debut/
The Mysterious Stranger is a nifty little story.
Here it is if you never read it.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3186/3186-h/3186-h.htm